Magma
by Batmarcus
Summary: He's spent his life as one of fire, made to believe he was superior to others. that is, until a girl who saw nothing and everything came along and changed it all.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello people so this is my first Avatar story and my co-author Muentigers. Also I would like to thank her for beta reading it. So we hope you enjoy this first chapter. **

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**Chapter 1**

Kai was breathing heavily as he flicked his dark black hair out of his line of sight. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he glanced across the room at his elder sister, Azula. They were sparring and, like most times, he was losing. Sweat stuck his forehead in small drops and he struggled for breath, his stamina reaching its end.

"Kai, come on. I haven't even gone moderate on you!" Azula jeered, several strands of her inky hair falling out of their usual neat bun and into her face. She seemed virtually unscathed from the fight, her eyes shining with the evident possibility of victory.

Kai took a deep breath and sent a crescent shaped fire kick at her head. Predictably, she ducked it easily, looking up just as a fireball neared her visage.

Without blinking, she wove a net of fire, blocking his attack, and pushed it towards him, her arms swinging forward as though she were pushing at a wall.

Thinking fast, he raised his hands in the air, a dome of fire forming from the apex of his fingers. he drew in a sharp gust of air and shoved it at her, enveloping the net in its wake.

She cocked an eyebrow and caught it in her hands, sending it to the opposite corner of the room, where a potted plant lay. It caught fire instantaneously, the smell of burning leaves spreading throughout the room like a wildfire. Soon thereafter, it began smoking intensely, creating a smog around the already heated room.

"I never liked that thing anyways," she commented, smirking as she formed a staff of fire and twirled it about, pacing slowly around her brother like a lioness on the hunt.

"I'm not fond of them either," he said watching her twirling the staff and staying on his guard. His eyes darted about, looking for an opportunity to catch his ever-aware sister vulnerable.

Scowling at him for not making the first move, she narrowed her eyes in a calculating manner, and jumped up, batting a ball of fire towards him with the staff, her eyes glittering as they always did when she had an ulterior plan.

As it grew nearer, he stepped aside, narrowly avoiding the fireball and jumped into the air, sending alternating spheres from each hand in her direction.

She blocked them with her staff, twirling it in front of her to create a shield, before landing on her toes and smirking.

"Gotcha," she said proudly, indicating to his feet, where a giant X had been burnt into the floor. With a silent grace, she flipped around her back and tapped her staff against the floor, the X igniting a wall of fire at her command.

He guarded his feet and held up his hands in surrender as her staff stopped in front of his nose. Azula was smiling playfully, but her face was set in an eerie lust for blood, for power.

"You win, Azula," he grumbled, disgruntled at the prospect, his molten gold coloured eyes looking at her in shame. Nodding briskly, she stepped away and tapped her staff on the ground once again, the X under his feet stemming its fire.

"You think?" she snapped, grinning as she extinguished the staff with a clap of her hands, looking around her. "Well, this room is ruined," she commented, her voice dripping in nonchalance as the corners of her lips turned down into a sneer of distaste.

"Every time we spar, we seem to ruin a room," he remarked uncaringly, following Azula out the door, leaving the destroyed room behind.

"That's because the decorator was blind. If I have to see one more beige-coloured room, I will puke," she vowed, her nose crinkled in disgust as they walked beside the small pool of water that was located inside the Courtyard. the dead, yellow grass crunched under their feet.

"My sister, the mighty Princess of the Fire Nation, made sick by the colour beige. Don't let the Earth Kingdom find out," Kai smiled playfully, pretending to cower in fear at the mention of the rival Kingdom. Azula spat at the ground and shot him a look in response, her golden-brown eyes darkening.

"Those hard-headed fools wouldn't know beige from taupe if I burned it upon their skins. What a bunch of freaks," she sneered, kicking a stray rock with unwonted force and sending it into the walls that lined the Courtyard.

"I don't know. Never met any one outside the Fire Nation and Dad won't let me in meetings," Kai replied glumly, pushing his hair out of his eyes with a spare hand. Stubbornly, it fell right back into his eyes and he glared at it as though it had done him a great personal wrong.

"That's because we talk about you. All the time," Azula teased, sitting on the grass and looking into the sun. Her head was stretched back and her face a mask, but it seemed to be the greatest calm she had ever achieved. "But they are a bunch of trolls."

"You seem to have a very low opinion of most people," he observed, and she opened an eye to look at him in disbelief. "You don't really talk about me do you?" he asked nervously, sitting next to her with his legs crossed.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out," she commented drily. "But you'll find, baby brother, that my opinion of most people is correct. There must be inferiority for superiority, but those in control must always...prune the bush, shall we say?"

"You mean Zuko right?" he asked, glaring at the memory of his older brother then glancing over at Azula, who shrugged and laid down, her arms crossed beneath her head.

"He was not worthy. It is not our concern. But, when I rule, it shall be utopia. Utter perfection, nothing less," she vowed, smiling blissfully as she imagined her future reign.

"Yes, I know, Azula. It's how father raised us: to be perfect," he stated bluntly, leaning against the tree that provided much welcomed shade and comfort from the intense heat of the sun, although Azula seemed unaffected. She stiffened at the mention of their father, and her lips pursed angrily.

"He is not the only one with vision," she retorted sharply, her voice bitter.

"Not true. You seem to have a vision of what things should be like," Kai told her, glancing at his elder sister apprehensively. Azula smiled and opened her eyes, leaning up on her elbows to look her younger brother in the eyes. He was the only member of her family who she truly cared for, and he understood her better than anyone she knew. She would only let her guard down around him, as others would strive to manipulate her weaknesses to their own goals. Zuko had been too emotional, to much of a contradiction: wearing his heart on his sleeve while bottling up his emotions until they burst out of him in anger. Kai, on the other hand, seemed to be a perfect mixture of them both: not skilled enough to be a threat, but capable of great potential nevertheless.

"Vision without implementation is meaningless. That's where you fail in your training," Azula divulged, a cocky grin plastered to her face as she looked at her hands, playing with a small flame of fire between her fingers.

"What do you mean?" he asked, raising a black eyebrow. Azula rolled her eyes and closed her hand, extinguishing the flame she had been playing with.

"You need to think like me. Imagine what I'll do next, and use my attack to hurt me. Use your opponent's strength against you," she instructed, her voice changing slightly in volume as she looked ahead, pretending she had not just revealed her innermost strategy to someone who could be a threat.

"It's impossible to think like you and it's not for lack of trying," Kai sighed in dejection, a feigned look of disappointment crossing his face.

"What can I say? I'm awesome like that," she grinned, winking conspiratorially at him.

"You must be," he chuckled at the expression on her face, stopping abruptly as a guard approached them.

"Princess Azula?" the guard intoned politely, his head slightly bowed at addressing a member of the Royal Family.

"That's my name. Don't you forget it," she snapped back, her posture lazy as she looked at the guard, squinting her eyes to see him against the sun.

"Of course, Princess. Your father would like to see you," he mumbled, bowing out of sheer fear as Azula's eyes narrowed dangerously. She chuckled lightly and rolled her eyes at the guard, glancing at Kai.

"I'm sure he would. May Kai join us, or is he merely continuing his dissertation about my brother?" she smirked, getting to her feet and brushing the stray dirt from her robes.

"Kai is free to come if he wants," the guard said, bowing slightly to Kai, who seemed slightly perturbed by the sudden attention. Azula waved the guard off and glanced at Kai, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, come on then," she urged, clasping her hands behind her back and hiding her emotions behind her mask again.

Together, they walked into the grand throne room, their footsteps ringing through the room as they passed pillar after pillar, finally reaching the throne of their father. They knelt before their father, their eyes held on the ground out of respect: a habit they had been taught since birth.

"Azula," their Father said, looking upon the bowed head of his only daughter.

"Yes, father?" she asked, her voice cold, but trembling slightly, a fact that only Kai picked up, causing him to scrunch his eyebrows in confusion.

"I have an assignment for you," he told her simply, no sentiment evident in his voice. Kai's stomach sank into his feet at the announcement. Great, he thought sarcastically. Azula was the only thing that saved him from death by boredom nowadays and now she was going to leave again.

"Very well. May I at least bring Kai along, lest I die of boredom in searching for an elusive plant?" she snapped, not caring about the respect she had been ingrained to follow. She hated her father's assignments, a fact she knew he was aware of. Her father's eyes narrowed, but he nodded.

"You may. Although the assignment I have in mind is a bit more..challenging," he warned her, causing her to emit a sound that sounded like suppressed laughter.

"For me?" she snorted. "I'll be back before the next Harvest moon," she said, fully assured in her own abilities.

"I don't think so, Azula. Your assignment is to hunt down your brother, Zuko, and Uncle Iroh before they bring more shame on our family," the King announced, and Azula's eyes flashed gold as she smiled, sparks of excitement nearly firing from her hands.

"Is that it?" she snarked, laughing brightly. "When can we leave?" she demanded eagerly. Kai's heart jumped in his chest at the opportunity, before groaning, knowing Azula would demand he pay her back in some manner.

"Are you sure? Do you truly believe Kai is ready for this?" he asked her, glancing at his son's head. Kai gulped angrily, but kept his eyes trained on the ground, refusing to react to his own father's insult.

"What he lacks in skill, he makes up for in determination. Besides, he knows how Zuko thinks. I do not," Azula argued simply, her voice not faltering at their father's demanding tone.

"If you're certain, Azula," their father said, his voice calculating and sharp. Azula stood up and looked at him, her eyes unblinking and her stance inspiring.

"When have you ever known me not to be?" she demanded, her eyes cold and emotionless. Kai remained bowing, his heart beating wildly at the disrespectful gestures of his sister.

"Then you both may leave as soon as possible. Dismissed," the King waved them away, and Azula inclined her head slightly, turning on her heel and storming out of the room, knowing Kai would follow her.

As they exited the room, she turned around and looked at Kai expectantly, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"Thank you," he muttered, his voice apprehensive and excited at the same time. Azula had no reaction, merely looking to the sky to determine the time of day, the gears in her head already turning.

"If you screw this up, Kai, I will kill you myself," she vowed, glaring at him sharply, her eyes promising a slow and torturous death.

"I know you will," he replied, unfazed by her threat as he glanced at his sister's imposing figure. She smiled thinly and nodded, seeming to have come to a decision.

"Good. Now that that's settled, let's go pack. We leave at dusk," she announced, her eyes looking over the walls behind him. Somewhere, out there, lay the key to her success. Zuko was the only thing standing between her and utopia.

"Yes, Azula," he mock-bowed and made his way to his room, her eyes never leaving his back. For once, Azula wondered if she was making the right choice, putting her little brother in such danger. But, then again, she thought to herself, a bitter smile crossing her face, why not kill two birds with one stone?

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**A/N: So that's all for this chapter. Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello, I know long time, but hear me out. Both our scheadules got very busy, while mine cleared in a month hers did not and still has not. Muen works very hard and this was just another thing she did not need on her plate. So that being said we both thought it was best for the story to continue on without her. I have found a new co-author who will start next chapter. Thank you for waiting patiently and for your time. **

**A few things to note in this version Toph has been with the Gaang since they first got to the earth kingdom. Everyone is a bit older.**

**Ages: Toph, Aang, Kai - 14 **

**Azula, Katara, Ty Lee, Mai -16 **

**Zuko, Sokka - 18 **

**Now on to the story.**

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**Chapter 2 **

Kai sat on the deck of the ship that he and Azula were using for there travel. They had been out for almost a week now. Like most thirteen year old's stuck on a boat he was bored. "Azula, will you tell me your plan please I'm bored."

"Your boredom doesn't concern me, Kai. Not all expeditions are non-stop fun," Azula snapped, not looking up from the map she was studying. "set a course due east." she ordered

"Why east didn't Zuko and Uncle just escape from the Northern water tribe?" he asked laying his head down on the ship.

"That's why we're heading east, not north. east is the earth tribe, they'll be heading there next," she explained, looking out on the sea. "By the way, do you know how many sailors have puked in the spot where your head is currently resting?"

"Aah." he said leaping up. "Thanks for that." he walked over to her. "I'm just not that sure It's a three week journey from the Water Tribe to the earth Kingdom." he said pointing at a route on the map.

"There's a spare boat at the back of the ship if you want to go searching that way. but you'll only find ice," she snapped

"No I don't want to do that." he said rolling his eyes and glancing at the map. "Look, there's a resort not that far from where we'll have to dock."

Azula glared at him. "We are on this mission to eliminate Zuko, nothing else. I won't hesitate to kill what stands in my way,"

"No, I'm saying that it's the first place they would see after getting to the earth kingdom and knowing uncle they would likely stay a few days."

Azula thought this over. "I knew there was a reason I brought you along. it'll be our first stop," she announced. "Why don't you head down and sleep. we'll be there by nightfall-it's the perfect chance to catch them off guard."

"Well I had another idea to suggest."

"Well, don't keep it bottled up."

"If you were to tell Zuko that father wanted him back and lure them onto the ship. Then we could capture them and bring them back to father for trial." he said. He was not kidding they both knew trail was likely a slow painful death

"No. Zuko is mine to kill, understand? he's the first to fall at my hand."

"The first of many I imagine, but you still might want him to come to the ship."

"There's less people on the ship, brother. with his death, the people of this port shall know who holds their lives,"

"Or they'll use something as a distraction and possibly get away."

"they won't get away," Azula's eyes flashed in anger.

"If you say so sister." he said in an I'm not so sure voice. As he walked down below deck.

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A few hours later Kai was woke by a knocking on his door"Kai, wake up. We're here," Azula spat, her eyes shining as she entered the room.

She was surprised when he sat straight up. "Give me a minute to get dressed and I'll be out." he said. He walked into his bathroom, splashed water on his face from the bowl by the door and looked in the mirror. A thirteen year old with coal black hair that fell to his shoulders and molten gold colored eyes looked back at him. He was perfectly fit for his age not to thin, but not to large either which is what his father expected of him.

His face, much as he hated to admit it looked a lot like Zuko's minus the scar. His nose was smaller and straighter than Zuko's. His eyes were closer in shape to his sisters than his brothers. He was pulled from his contemplations on his appearance by Azula impatiently telling him to hurry up.

He sighed, pulled his hair into a ponytail and left to get dressed. Five minutes later he walked out dressed in light fire navy armor.

"Nice armor," she jeered, not wearing any armor herself

"Don't judge me I can still firebend in it and a little protection is never a bad thing." he said as they walked above deck.

"Protection is only needed if you feel insufficiently protected by your abilities,"

"My abilities are just fine." he said glaring at her for a second.

"Sure they are."

"Are you implying something dear sister." he said stopping her before they could leave the ship.

"That you're not good enough yet." she replied bluntly

"So, do you want to take on Zuko and Iroh alone because I'll go back to bed if that's the case." he said turning towards the stairs.

"Are you deaf? I brought you along because you know how Zuko's head works. If it goes my way, which it will, you won't even fight."

"Fine then lets got get this over with then." he said rolling his eyes.

"Remember, we're here to bring them back to father," she winked.

He smirked as they walked up the path to the resort. I t was a short walk and after scarring the attendant the found Zuko and Iroh's room. "Ladies first." Kai said gesturing at the door.

"Always the gentleman," she muttered, knocking on the door. "Zuko?"

There were two gasps from the other side of the door before it slowly opened to revel Iroh. "Azula Kai what a pleasant surprise."

"If you say so, Uncle. Where can my darling brother be found?"

"Right this way " he said leading them into the room. Sitting at the far end not facing them was Zuko. His hair in a ponytail and wearing dark green earth kingdom clothes similar to Iroh's.

"Is this how you greet your family, Zuko?"

"When it comes to you two yes!Now what do you want?" he asked coldly turning to face them both.

"You wound me, brother. we journey all this way, on amiable terms, and you treat us like scum. then again, you might have gotten accustomed to scum, living in this cesspool," she spat

"Well where did you expect me to live! My ship was blown up!" he spat at her. "Oh, calm down Zu-zu." Kai said using the nick name Zuko hated.

"We regret that incident tremendously. Father is happy to know your alive," Azula told him

"He is?" Zuko asked surprised his own mask slipping. Internally both Azula and Kai smirked.

"Of course, Zuko. he's been wrought with misery. we all have,"

"We miss you brother." Kai said sounding sad. Zuko's mask of indifference slipped a little more. Iroh however seemed suspicious.

"Remember when we used to train together? Destroying father's rooms?" Azula offered. "it hasn't been the same,"

"It hasn't we still train it just seems so empty and boring without you." Kai said softly. Zuko's mask was about to shatter they could both tell.

"Please come home, brother. we have a ship ready,"

"You all want me back?" he asked sounding hopeful.

"Indefinitely. you belong with us,"

"Please come home Zuko." Kai said almost pleadingly.

"Uncle Iroh is welcome, too,"

Zuko looked overjoyed "Uncle did you hear that! We're going home." he said sounding excited while Iroh looked at them with suspicion

"Aren't you excited, Uncle Iroh?" Azula asked, almost threateningly

"I'm not sure if I can believe you either of you." he said glaring at Azula as Kai stepped in front of her protectively

"It's fine, Kai. Why not, Uncle? we missed you too,"

"History with my brother advices against it." he said

"When you let go of the past, you become what you might be,"

"That may be so, but I don't trust you." he said

"Uncle Iroh, I'm still your little niece."

"Yes and I helped raise you and that makes me trust you less and you seem to have rubbed off on Kai

"I have that effect on people," she admitted simply

"Uncle are you really that mistrustful?" Kai asked a fist clenching behind his back.

"Yes, I am. I have known you two since birth. the worst of the fire nation is embodied in you,"

"I take offense to that!" Kai said in a dangerously calm voice

"You should,"

Kai glared at his uncle wanting to throw a fireball so bad, but holding back as Azula put a hand on his shoulder.

"The invitation is open to both of you. we shall depart tomorrow morning, with whoever shows up."

Azula had to steer Kai forcibly out of the room.

"Are you stupid, or what? you almost blew the entire operation!"

"Almost being the key word there Azula." he said taking a calming breath

"You were damn close!"

"Of course I was I don't take well to insults."

"He was taunting you on purpose, idiot!"

"I'm sorry, but I did not wreck the operation." he said as he fallowed her to the ship

"Uncle Iroh is a master at reading people-therein lies the problem. you show your emotions too much!"

"I know! I already apologized what do you want. me to do?"

"Lay low. And get a handle on that temper of yours."

"Yes, Azula I'm sorry." he said taking a deep breath. Apologies did not often come from Kai.

She let out a deep breath. "I know you are don't let it happen again."

Kai knew how lucky he was most people who messed up with Azula ended up in hospitals.

"Oh, and Kai?" she said casually.

"Yes Azula?" he said keeping his guard up and his voice even.

"Never say you're sorry. it's a sign of weakness"

"Yes Azula." he said bowing slightly as he had become used to doing when it came to Azula. She had been his Firebending teacher since he could bend.

Azula rolled her eyes at this. It really was irritating.

"Habit." he said simply.

She snorted, and shot a fireball at him, trying to catch him off guard

He jumped backwards sending a fireball at her from his right hand and left foot.

She blocked them with a wave of her hand and smiled. "Good. you're on guard tonight. don't go wandering off"

"No exploring?" he asked in mock hurt.

"This is the earth kingdom, smart one. they don't take kindly to trespassing. and I won't be there to save your sorry ass."

"I won't need you to, besides what are the odds of any trouble other than Zuko and Iroh?" he asked

Azula's eyes flashed, and her face became a mask. "None at all." she said sweetly

"Really?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Really. just keep your guard up. a prince of the fire kingdom is worth a sizable ransom,"

"Yes I'll be extra careful." he said moving towards the ramp of the ship.

* * *

Kai walked off the ship, and walked into the forest looking around the earth kingdom was very different from the beaches and volcano's of home, It was nice. Peaceful even.

As he journeyed into the forest he saw flickering light that meant fire. Curious of who would be camping out so near a resort he carefully walked towards it.

"There's someone here." Toph said, before sniffing. "He smells like burnt."

"How can someone smell like burnt?" Aang asked.

Toph sent him a glare. "Doesn't the fire smell burnt, idiot?"

"A firebender?" Sokka asked springing to his feet

"I'm blind, Sokka. you tell me,"

"I can't see anyone." he said looking into the tree's

Toph turns her head to the trees to be. "We already know you're there! no use hiding anymore,"

Kai heard this, and froze he honestly had not been hiding, he was just trying to get there with out falling. Never the less he stepped out slowly.

"Was I right?" Toph asked dismissively

"Yes." Sokka said pointing his club at Kai who did not move.

"Sokka, don't kill the guy," Katara chastised.

"He's a firebender he would probably deserve it." Sokka said noting this boy seemed about Toph and Aang age.

"Then we'd be dead already, Sokka." Toph pointed out.

"Who's to say he's not plotting our death right now?" he asked. Kai did not move except his eyes to look around.

"His hearts beating so fast I can feel it shaking the ground. he's not here to kill us." Toph said

"Why would I be I don't even know any of you." Kai said speaking for the first time.

"Told you so." Toph smirked

Kai smiled he appreciated her attitude.

"Why are you here, fire bender?" Sokka asked, trying to look brave.

"I saw fire and wanted to see who camps near a resort." he said simply.

"Katara's allergic to mud," Toph answered simply, warning her a glare from Katara. "you mean, you don't know who we are?" Katara asked "Not a clue, why should I?" he asked confused.

"Well, ideally, you shouldn't. we try to keep secret. but it's kinda hard to keep an air bender secret, you know?" Toph said passively, earning her a glare from everyone.

Kai shifted his head to Aang "So your the avatar?" he asked simply.

Aang groaned. "Thanks, Toph." "Anytime," she barked back.

Kai chuckled. "I honestly expected you to be older." he said for some reason he had no urge to attack any of them. He had always been told by his father the Avatar

"You're one to talk. I know that emblem," Aang replied, glancing at his uniform.

"Not all Firebenders are bad. You have done nothing to me personally." he said shrugging

Aang ignored him and walked closer. "You're a member of the royal family," he whispered, shocked by the revelation

"Still I see no reason to attack you. As I say you have done nothing to me or anyone I really care about."

"He doesn't know," Toph said randomly.

"What don't I know?" Kai asked not liking being out of the loop.

"Your nation is hunting us," Katara said, looking at him in disbelief.

"Oh, I vaguely recall something about that." he said offhandedly.

Toph laughed bitterly. "He's completely oblivious, isn't he? This is sad." Toph said

"No! I've just lived a very secluded life till now."

"And you were never curious or brave enough to find out? That's pathetic." Toph snarled

"No! You don't get it with my father it's listen and obey or get burnt just ask my brother." he said glaring at her.

"Because that's worked out so well for us in the past." she bit back, standing up, and looking at him, albeit blankly.

"Look, I'm trying to avoid a fight and your trying to start one." he said

"Live with it, prince-boy!"

"Why do you want to fight so bad!" he demanded taking a deep breath to avoid burning anything

"I'm tired of feeling useless, is all. Give me one good reason why I should not kill you right now. After all the hell your family has put us through?" she spat, causing the others to run, trying to restrain her.

"Because I personally have done no harm to any of you!" he said as calmly as possible.

"You haven't done anything to help us, either. The way I see it, one less fire bender in the world can't be a bad thing," Sokka said, cutting Toph off.

"Oh yeah because all firebenders are automatically evil right!" he shot at them. He was really getting mad he had done nothing to them.

"I've never seen anyone prove otherwise. or anything else, mind you," Toph commented.

"Fine I'll just go then!" Kai said turning to leave.

Toph stomped her foot, and a wall of rock rose in front of him. "I don't think so. a fire bender is a valuable asset. You're staying with us."

"Give me one good reason I should." Kai said glancing at her admiring her guts.

"Give me one reason why you shouldn't," she countered. "You've spent your life isolated from the truth, am I right? your not stupid enough to deny the opportunity to know it all"

This peaked Kai's interest. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Isn't it obvious? you stay with us, and we'll show you what's really happening. in return, we get insight into your esteemed nation. win-win,"

"I don't know." he said cautiously looking at them. They did seem like nice people.

"We don't bite. although I can't speak for Sokka. he's just naturally stupid,"

"Hey! I am not!" The oldest one who looked water tribe said.

"Sure. just keep telling yourself that," Toph replied

Kai snickered. "I don't know going with you guys would be going against all I know."

"Afraid of a little adventure?" Toph teased.

"No, I am afraid of my sister though." Kai said thinking of Azula

"She hasn't had much luck with us," Katara pointed out, not wanting to be left out of the conversation

"Have you met my sister she would kill me if I did this." he said cautiously.

"Then go. we won't miss you, fire bender," Sokka spat.

Kai's eyes narrowed. "I'm just saying either way it'll make your lives more difficult."

"Maybe we're just nice," Toph commented

"Well I suppose, but only if your all okay with it." he said glaring at Sokka

"He won't admit to it, but he's fine," Toph smirked

"Well Aang will need a firebending teacher." Sokka said with a dramatic sigh.

"You're such a drama queen, Sokka," Katara said

Kai sighed "Okay, but we might want to leave like soon." Kai said

"Why?" Aang asked.

"Because my brother is in that resort, and my sister is in that ship." Kai said pointing to each of them

"Aren't you just a ray of sunshine?" Toph smiled

"And your so much better?" Kai smirked at her. He took of the light armor and was left in normal fire nation style clothes.

"I don't know what a ray of sunshine even looks like, dumb ass. as far as I know., I could be one,"

He smiled. "Are you always this blunt?"

She stomped her foot, and the earth split, just a bit. "Yes."

"Good then this will be fun."

Toph snickered and went still, freezing almost entirely

"What's wrong?" Aang asked

"Guards. two of them," she sniffed, "fire-benders,"

"How far?" Kai asked

She shushed him and knelt, her palms on the ground. "300 hundred steps," she whispered. "That way," she pointed to where the outline of the ship could barely be seen through the woods

"Give me just a second." Kai said cracking his knuckles and walking towards the ship.

"No," Katara whispered, holding him back. "They'll be suspicious of you then!" Toph cocked her head to the side an took a deep breath, hitting the ground to her left with the side of her hand and sweeping it to the right. "landslide," she whispered, a smile on her face.

They heard the men yelling and then a thunk then quite. "So wait why could I not attack?" Kai asked

"We need it to look like you've been kidnapped," Katara explained

"Is this going to hurt?" Kai asked

"I'll try to make it as painless as possible," Sokka said, not looking like he meant it at all

"No offense there..Sokka is it? But your weapons can't hurt me."

"He needs to make it look like you've been beaten," Toph explained

"Fine." Kai said bracing himself.

Sokka hesitated, causing Toph to snort. she stepped up to Kai, and punched him in the face. "Sorry," she said blankly.

Kai smiled "No your not." he was starting to like this girl more and more.

"You're right, I'm not. it was highly satisfying"

"Hitting me was satisfying for you?" Kai asked smirking

"Have a problem with that?" she asked

"Would it matter if I did?"

"Nope,"

"Of course not." he said as she hit him again

She shrugged and gave him a swift kick to the stomach. "That should do"

"Thanks." Kai mumbled her kicks really hurt.

"Are we going or not?" Toph asked

"Nope we should tie his hands." Sokka said holding up some rope

"You're enjoying this too much, Sokka," Katara shook her head as he tied his hands behind his back.

"Yes, he is." Kai said resisting the urge to shoot fire at Sokka as he tied his hands.

Toph walked over calmly and punched Sokka swiftly in the stomach. "Before you scorch him," she explained

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"It's what I would've done," she shrugged, rubbing her knuckles

"I think you and I will get along great." Kai said glancing at Toph

"We'll see," she mused.

"I guess we will, so how do we get out of here?"

"To the north. Towards Omashu, we may have decided Toph is teaching Aang earthbending, but that would be the safest place to learn." Katara said, her eyes on the map. "

Toph nodded. "there's a cave an hour's walk from here. we can stay there for the night."

"That all sounds great, I just hope we get out of here early." Kai said

Toph laughed. "Sorry, prince. we're leaving now."

"Now?" he asked surprised

"Night is the best cover." Aang explained

"Well can't debate your thinking there." Kai shrugged

"Then, move it!" Sokka gestured after Aang, who's begun to walk already

"I will burn you if you keep poking me with that club."

"Just keep moving, firebender." Sokka said poking him in the back.

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**A/N: PLEASE Review **

**It ends there for now. We hope you have all enjoyed this chapter. My new co-author starts next chapter. Thank you again to Muentiger she works so hard and is a great friend and writer in her own right. Hopefully her schedule clears soon so she can get back to her fics! :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Ladies and gentlemen please welcome my new co-author Dinoluvr! Who is also the beta for this fic. Anyway on to the chap! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Kai woke leaning against something very soft. He looked up to see the large Sky Bison Appa they had called him. Then he remembered what he had agreed to last night and the fact that starting today he was traveling with the Avatar it was a weird thought for him.

"I wonder if anyone else is up yet?" he muttered to himself.

"I am." Toph offered from her place on the bison, "Though, I doubt you were actually expecting an answer." she added, eyes staring blankly.

"I was not actually. What are you doing up so early?"

Toph shrugged, "Can't sleep." she replied simply.

"I can't go back to sleep once I'm awake I can't go back to sleep." He paused for a few minutes before speaking again.

"So your blind, how do you earthbend?"

Toph gave him a wry smile, "Right to the point, huh? Well, I use the vibrations in the earth to 'see', so to speak, and then I just earthbend like any other earthbender. The only difference is, I learned from badger moles while everyone else taught themselves or learned from another earthbender." she shrugged. "And don't think underestimate me either, I'm the best earthbender in the world and I could very easily kick your butt." she added warningly.

"I don't intend to underestimate you I already saw what you could do when you caused that rock slide last night. I just wondered was all, I don't know much about earthbending."

"Course you don't. You're too busy burning people to bother learning anything about them." she said in response, turning to look out at the trees.

"Hey, Firebending is a whole different art and there is an art to it believe it or not. I just was not taught about other bending arts I was just trained in fire, and you need to understand not all fire is bad."

Toph raised an eyebrow, "Do I? The only reason I'm speaking to you is because I understand that every nation has its good and bad. I was kidnapped by a couple of earthbenders before I came with the Avatar. All I'm saying is that the Fire Nation doesn't know much about any of the other cultures... If they know anything."

"We do it's just the Earth Kingdom that is a great mystery to us. All bending are very different arts. What do you know about Firebending?" he asked

"Firebending? It's mostly offense, using sharp jabs and kicks to create fire." she answered him easily.

"Wrong, you know about as much about firebending as I do about Earthbending."

Toph blinked at him in confusion, "How so?" she asked.

"It's not all attacks and rage, at least for some of us it isn't. Fire can be used to hurt and help, it's all about intent. Those who draw upon anger will never fully understand it."

Toph pursed her lips, "If you say so." she answered begrudgingly.

"I do, but I concede that earthbending is likely the most effective form on bending other than fire."

Toph couldn't help but smirk at that, "Trust me, earthbending is much more effective, Ozai Jr." she argued, assigning him a nickname.

"Don't call me that it makes me feel weird."

She raised an eyebrow, "And why would it do that?" she inquired, blunt as ever.

"Because, I don't like my father alright! I pretend to like him and his ideas. I put on a mask and pretend to be the perfect little firelords son, because if I don't I'm banished or dead!"

Tophs eyes widened and she quickly looked away from him. After a moment of silence she spoke, "I know what that feels like." she said quietly, still not looking at him.

"Really?" Kai asked. He somehow doubted anyone could get it.

Toph nodded, "My parents always babied me, they didn't think I could do anything on my own. So I ran away one time. That's when I met the badger-moles and learned how to bend. When I came back, I formed a secret identity and kept the fact that I could bend from my parents. They would lock me away if I told them. Which is what they almost did when Aang came to learn from me, so I ran away for good." she finished with a shrug.

"That sounds awful, and boring for you all at the same time. I'm glad someone gets it." he smiled up at her.

She gave a rare smile back, "Yeah... It's nice having someone who understands for once... None of the others get it."

"Maybe one day they will and maybe not, so Toph are we friends?" he asked a little nervously.

She thought about it, "Maybe... But don't expect any special treatment, Oz- Lead Foot. I swear, you have perhaps the heaviest footsteps in the entire world." she pursed her lips, giving him an affectionate punch.

"Don't blame me it's the shoes." Kai mock whined pointing at his feet. "I should get new ones at some point."

"Take my advice and just get rid of shoes all together." she grinned, wiggling her bare toes. "It makes things so much easier."

"Maybe I will, but I am sort of used to shoes."

Toph pretended to gag, "Suit yourself. I just find this simpler." she said, the sun beginning to rise.

"We should get moving soon Azula is going to wake up and Zuko will be on his way down." Kai said, which was true she was an early riser.

Toph nodded in agreement, "Everybody get up! We're moving as soon as everything gets packed." she called out, sending a rock into each of the teams backs.

There was a great deal of yelling and grumbling. Kai looked at Toph. "That is a great way to wake people up." he smirked.

Toph returned the smirk, "It is, isn't it? Sleep in and you'll get to experience it too." she added with a grin, grabbing her stuff to throw it onto the bison.

Not having any stuff to grab Kai climbed up onto Appa. "Got it, never sleep in." he said as Aang threw his own stuff up.

"How long have you two been up?" he asked sleepy.

Toph shrugged, "A few hours. Kai's only been up for a little while." she replied, propelling herself onto Appa with the help of a rock.

"But don't worry Twinkle Toes, I'm wide awake." she added in assurance, hoping to catch him off guard with another propelling rock, this one aimed to go farther.

Aang stomped on the ground and his rock just barely blocked hers.

"That happen often?" Kai asked Katara who had climbed up.

Katara rolled her eyes at Toph, "Unfortunately." she answered as Toph grinned at Aang.

"Nice job, Twinkle Toes" she praised him before giving Katara a slight shove. "You're just jealous, sugar queen." she said, smirking. Katara answered with another roll of her eyes.

"So anything else I should know?" Kai asked as Sokka loaded his stuff onto the bison as well.

"Well... Not really. We're basically just on our way to B-"

"Katara! Don't give away our secrets! We can't trust him yet." Sokka interjected, glaring at his sister. Katara huffed in annoyance.

"Sokka, you're so thick headed sometimes."

"I'm just saying he is a Firebender." Sokka said as though that solved everything.

Katara rolled her eyes, "Whatever, I'm telling him. We're on our way to Ba Sing Se, but it's a very long trip still. We'll be making quite a few side stops along the way. Like at Omashu, so Toph and Aang can practice in safety for a few days." she explained, Sokka glaring at her the entire time. Appa had also begun to fly in the direction they were headed.

"Why Ba Sing Se?" Kai asked watching as Azula's ship shrank away.

"We want to visit the earth king about the war." Katara explained. "We're gonna need his help when we go to defeat the Fire Lord." she added warily, gauging his reaction.

"That sounds fun, but I'm warning you there are a lot of traps to get to him. I would be glad to help if possible." Kai said thinking of all the times he would have liked someone to invade and take over the Fire Nation.

Katara nodded, smiling at him, "That would be very helpful actually... And you could help Aang with his firebending at the same time." she offered.

"I would gladly, though Aang I have to warn you firebending is the most dangerous type of bending to master."

Aang nodded gravely, "Yeah, I learned that lesson the hard way. The last time I firebent, I burned Katara." he said, looking away guiltily.

"That's what happens when you have no control; and It could be worse, my first time bending I sent a guard to the hospital."

Everyone sort of blinked at him before Toph let out a quiet snicker, "Nice one, Lead Foot." she teased, playfully.

Aang's eyes were wide, "So I could send someone to the hospital? This is going to be tougher than I thought." he frowned miserably.

"Well yes, you could, but only if not careful. Don't worry whenever you're ready we'll start with the basics."

Aang nodded, falling into a contemplating silence.

* * *

Azula was woken from her peaceful sleep by very loud and frantic knocks at her door.

"Who dares interrupt my sleep?" she demanded, walking to the door and throwing it open.

The guard was covered in dirt and looked terrified to speak to her, but he stammered on.

"P...P...Princess Azula, last night we were attacked, by at least one earthbender and we think that whoever it was may have taken Prince Kai hostage." he said quickly.

Azula's eyes flared, "And how did one measly earthbender take down a dozen of the fire nations finest men, if I may so inquire?" she asked, tone dangerously low as she took a step closer.

The guard backed away slightly. "Well whoever they are they caused a rock slide, and we knew that Kai was on the other side of it. By the time we got back up the mountain there was nothing there but tracks that lead north before just vanishing." he squeaked out fearfully.

Azula's eyes narrowed slightly, "I see. Leave me, now. And when I come out there, you better not be on this ship." she ordered.

The guard nodded frantically and ran down the hall. Azula slammed the door and sat and thought. Kai captured, he may not be at my level, but it must have been a powerful bender that or he left willingly, but I don't think he would do that, she thought to herself.

"Zuko will be here soon as well. Perfect . Only awake for five minutes and there are already problems." She said, throwing a fire ball at her door before going to her bathroom to get dressed.

Later she emerged onto the deck of the ship, fully garbed in her fire nation armor. She allowed a smirk to form upon seeing that the guard had followed her instructions as she walked to the front of the ship.

"Princess, Zuko and Iroh are approaching."

Azula's smirk grew as she spoke, "Then let's give them a very warm welcome."

"Shall I tell the men to be ready for battle?"

"Yes, but don't be too obvious about it. We don't need them suspicious." she ordered.

"Yes Princess, would you like us to send out scouts to search for Prince Kai as well?"

"Not yet." she decided. "You won't be able to catch them even if you leave now."

"So, were just going to leave prince Kai to fend for himself?"

"Prince Kai is an excellent firebender, he can handle himself. Whoever took him won't kill him or anything; I know I wouldn't, had I been the one to kidnap him. He's leverage." she explained simply, watching as Uncle and Zuko approached.

"Yes Princess." The guard said, putting on a fake smile as he walked over to greet Zuko and Iroh.

"Welcome Prince Zuko, General Iroh." he said bowing.

Azula also smiled, hers much smugger, and went to great her family. "Zuzu, Uncle! Glad you could make it." she said sweetly.

"Azula." Zuko said sounding somewhat happy.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't show." she said with another smile. "I was almost ready to send out a search party."

"Well, I had to do some serious thinking before I came, and uncle came with me." Zuko said smiling.

Iroh however looked around carefully then asked, "Where is Kai? I thought he wanted to see us too?"

"Kai has been... Abducted by the avatar. I will be going after him myself, but I wanted to be able to see you two first."

"The Avatar!", Zuko gasped out, "Are you sure Azula?"

Azula fought the grimace that threatened to appear on her face, "No, we aren't positive. It could have just been a powerful earthbender." she lied, trying to ease the suspicion.

"Well then, I guess you've already sent out a search party?" he asked

"Oh, of course." She said, lying once again. "What kind of sister would I be otherwise?"

"You're lying." Iroh said simply looking Azula right in the eyes.

"Uncle, I'm hurt. How could you say such a thing?" She asked, eyes narrowing only slightly at her Uncle.

"Because I know you." he said simply

Azula rolled her eyes, "Please Uncle, you never took the time to know me." she said, smirking.

"Wrong, I know enough to know that you're lying about the search party, and if I had to guess you're lying about my brother wanting Zuko back."

Azula glanced at Zuko, "Iroh, my father has spent these past three years wishing he had never done what he did. Now he has a chance to clear his conscious and be happy again, but you, his brother, doubt him?" she practically sneered at Iroh.

"Yes I do. I have known my brother his whole life and he regrets nothing."

Azula merely turned to Zuko, "Come Zuzu, I have your room prepared an everything." she said sweetly before turning to lead him.

"Alright people! You heard the princess, we're taking the prisoners ho-" The guard began before freezing when he realized what he had said.

Azula stopped, slowly turning to face the guard, "What did you say?" she gritted out, trying to keep her composure.

"I...I..." The guard stammered.

Azula whirled around towards Zuko and Uncle, composing herself immediately, "This fool doesn't know what he's saying, now follow me." she said, eyes betraying the anger.

"No I don't think we will." Zuko said as he and Iroh quickly backed away.

Azula smirked, "I wasn't going to use force, but it seems you give me no choice." she said, preparing herself to fight.

Zuko shot off two fireballs aimed at her head and feet.

Azula easily dodged them, kicking a few flaming arches at him before punching a fire ball at him. The guards all rushed to her aid.

Zuko dodged sending his own flaming arches back at her as Iroh created a dome of fire to block the other fire blasts.

"You lied to me!" Zuko roared in rage.

"And you were gullible enough to believe me." she sneered, smirking at him as she easily fought back.

He shot fire at her again. This time in a large circle.

Azula dodged it, throwing a few fire balls of her own, "I mean, did you actually think he would miss you? You're a failure, a disgrace to the family!" she grinned devilishly before beginning to form lightning. It cackled blue all around her as she aimed straight for Zuko.

However Iroh seized her hand and redirected the lighting it hit a mountain. He then threw her over the edge of the ship.

"Zuko, let's go!" he said blasting a few more guards into the water.

Azula came up sputtering, ignoring the guard's attempts to rescue her. "Follow them you fools!" she hissed, eyes blazing.

"Princess Azula they have...escaped." The head guard said.

Azula turned to him after hauling herself onto the, "Consider yourself fired." she said, hitting him with a blast of fire that caused him to fly off of the ship.

"What do we do now Princess?" asked the next in command

"We follow Kai, that guard said the tracks went north." she answered simply, marching to the front of the ship.

"Princess, do you think you can handle the Avatar or whoever the earthbender was alone?"

Azula's lips curled ever so slightly, "Send for Mai and Ty-Lee, they should get a piece of the fun." she decided.

"Yes, right away Princess." the guard said running away from her

Azula listened as he left, gazing in the direction of her prey "I'll find you, and when I do, you'll pay avatar." she vowed quietly before turning and disappearing into her quarters.

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**A/N: So that's it for this chapter we will see you next chapter! Please Read and Review. Thank You!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: New chapter! We did not edit this one. Dino is very busy.  
Enjoy!**

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Kai sighed he was bored, he had joined Aangs group three days ago yet what they did most of the time was fly around on Appa. However when Sokka suggested something he was stunned.

"We're going to go into something a crazy drum circle calls the cave of the two lovers? This seems like a bad idea."

Katara raised an eyebrow at her brother, "I think it sounds interesting."

"See, Katara agrees." Sokka said

"And I still don't want to do it what does that tell you?" Kai asked raising an eyebrow.

Toph smirked at him, "Suck it up, Princess, you're out ruled on this one. I personally would love to spend the day in a cave, considering you guys would be the blind ones." She grinned.

Kai huffed "I can still firebend myself light." he muttered.

She rolled her eyes, "Fine then, they'll be the blind ones." She corrected herself sarcastically, fighting a smile.

"But seriously, are we almost there?" She questioned to the others.

"Yeah were here!" Sokka exclaimed.

There was a large cave mouth facing them bigger than even Appa.

"For the last time I say bad idea." Kai sighed

"And for the last time I say quit whining." Toph muttered, hopping off of Appa. "Unless, of course, you would like a rock to the gut." She offered, a rock floating next to her as she looked in Kai's general direction.

"No." Kai grumbled.

This had been Kai and Tophs general attitude towards each other. Katara thought they were flirting. Sokka and Aang just thought they were weird.

Toph just chuckled, walking into the mouth of the dark cave and giving a whistle, "This things huge... And it has tons of different passageways twisting through the mountain. Most of the tunnels have dead ends, but I can see the few that don't." She said, mostly just to herself as she axed unseeing my into the cave.

"Alright everybody fallow Toph!" Sokka said.

"No, really?" Kai said sarcastically.

Toph however was focusing and gasped when the passages all shifted.

"Toph, what's wrong?"

"Something's moving the tunnels!" she shouted back, trying to be heard over the sound of the rocks shifting as she slammed her foot into the ground. "I can't stop it either!" she added incredulously, giving up after a moment as she stared in shock.

They all gasped. Then there was a powerful shaking and suddenly the ceiling began to cave in.

"Get down." Kai yelled to them

Toph made a shelf over everyone as rocks began to fall all around, beginning to way down on the barrier of earth. "It's not going to hold much longer! Everyone get close to me!" Toph ordered, prepared to make a big tent around them when they were close enough.

Just as she was about too do that heavy rocks came down and collapsed her shelf she was knocked off her feet. When the dust cleared she and Kai were on one side with Aang, Katara, and Sokka on the other.

"Is every body okay?" Sokka yelled.

Toph coughed a little from the dust, standing to her feet. "I'm fine! Kai?" she asked, glancing over at him.

"I'm okay, but that is a lot of rocks, you can't move them or you'll crush the others."

Tooth frowned, "I know." She replied unhappily, "We'll have to find our way out the old fashioned way... Through the tunnels." She said, turning towards the opening in the rock.

"You guys, we'll have to seperate."

"We, know we'll meet you out there." Katara's voice said walking away. Kai turned to Toph.

"Well, you want to lead the way?" he asked

Toph gave him a smirk before starting down the tunnel, "Well, there's no way I'm letting you lead the way." She teased, "If you want you can create a flame, I know how much you non-blind people rely on light."

"Hey, I need the light to fallow you." Kai said defensively.

Toph just chuckled, walking along as she felt out the right tunnels through the earth.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

"Gotta keep up, lead foot, you don't want to fall behind with these tunnels moving around all the time." She warned with a small smirk, glancing back at him. "You'd be dead in no time."

"Hey, I can take care of myself just fine!" he said sending a glare her way.

"What would you do? Burn your way through the rocks?" She teased, raising a challenging eyebrow.

"Yes." Kai said stubbornly sticking his tongue out at her.

Of course, Toph didn't see this, but she laughed anyways. "Oh sure. Let me know how that works out for you." She said, inconspicuously setting a rock in front of his foot to trip him.

"Hey, no fair!" He yelled

Toph giggled, "I didn't do anything." She objected with a grin, turning down yet another tunnel. They soon reached a wall that had a picture of some kind on the front. Toph ran her hand along the wall in curiosity, "What is it?" She asked, wishing she could see for herself.

Kai looked it over carefully. "It's just a picture of two people kissing." he said in a bored sort of voice.

Toph raised an eyebrow at the wall, "Nice." She chuckled, taking her hand away. "I guess it's Oma and Shu." She said with a shrug, naming the caves 'creators'.

"Yeah how did you know?"

"I've heard the story before." She said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I haven't, but then I lived a very sheltered life." Kai said shrugging.

Toph rolled her eyes, "You didn't hear it because its an earth kingdom story. It talks about how the first earthbenders came to be... I can't imagine it would be a popular story in the fire nation. Not because of the war, but because it has nothing to do with you."

"Hey, we are not that self centered." Kai huffed.

"Never said you were." She shot back, "Most places are like that." She added, tracing over the words that were etched at the bottom. "What's it say?" She asked suddenly, tilting her head at him.

"It says trust in love. What's that supposed to mean?"

"No idea." Toph shrugged, pulling her hand away before turning to walk down the tunnel again. "Let's get moving."

"You sure you can get us out of here?" Kai asked after they had been walking for a few minutes.

"Positive." She answered surely, not pausing in her walk. "I can feel the exit not far off. As long as the tunnels don't shift again, we should be almost there."

Apparently the universe loved messing with Toph, because the tunnels shifted again. Suddenly, they were back at the statues with the inscription trust in love.

"Okay that was just unfair!" Kai yelled punching the rock.

Toph huffed in exasperation, sitting down, " How the heck are we supposed to get out of here?! Every few minutes the tunnels like to move, and making any new tunnels could cause this place to collapse..." She groaned, hand slapping her forehead.

"It has to have something to do with this inscription trust in love."

Toph rolled her eyes, "And what do you suppose the inscription means?" She asked sarcastically, not expecting it to help them at all. "It's just words."

"I have no clue Katara is the one who is good at this stuff."

Toph sighed, "Stupid tunnels." She muttered, defeated.

"Well, we could never mind." Kai said hastily

Toph glanced over at him, eyebrow raised curiously, "What were you going to say?"

"I was not going to say anything." Kai lied forgetting that Toph could tell when he was lying.

Toph grinned, standing up, "I know you're lying, now tell me." She said, trapping him with a rock around his left foot.

"Well, and keep in mind you wanted to know, but the statue says trust in love and shows them kissing. So what if we..." Kai trailed off

Toph blinked, "You've got to be kidding me." She said, putting her hands on her hips. "That is one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard."

"See, I tried to tell you that you would hate the idea." Kai said

Toph removed the rock from his foot, pursing her lips tightly together as she began to pace in thought. She hated to admit it, but he did have a point. Facing him she asked, "So you would actually be willing to kiss me?", blunt as ever.

"I well yeah I would." Kai said blushing and Toph could feel his heart rate increase

"Oh..." Toph said, blushing a little herself as she turned away. "I mean, the more I think about it, the more your idea makes sense... So, what I'm saying, is maybe we could try it." She stammered out, searching for the right words.

"Oh.." Kai said still blushing himself. "Well, I uh suppose we could, but I've never well you know.." he said nervously.

"Me either, since, you know, I wasn't allowed out of the house and all..." She trailed off, biting her lip in compete nervousness. This was the one thing she had no clue about, and she hated it. With everything else she could be confident, but here she was shy and unsure of herself... Which was terribly annoying to be honest.

"So, uhm what happens now?" Kai asked standing in front of her.

"Um, I guess we just, kiss..." She trailed off, taking a deep breath before closing her eyes and leaning up on the tips of her toes. It seemed like the right thing to do anyways.

Kai toke a deep breath before leaning down slightly and pressing his lips to hers. By some instant reflex he never knew he had, his hands slid down and wrapped around her waist.

Toph relaxed almost immediately, melting into him as she kissed him back. Cupping his cheek in her hand, she slowly pulled away from him, eyes wide. "Woah..." She said, unable to say anything more.

"Yeah, that was amazing." Kai said smiling slightly as blue crystals seemed to light up out of nowhere showing them a way out. However Kai just stood for a moment not letting go of Toph's waist

Toph smiled back at him, blushing, "Did anything happen?" She asked, not feeling a change in the earth. Not that it would have mattered much at the moment.

"Yeah, there's a trail of crystals that lit up I think they lead to the outside." Kai said still holding her close.

"I guess you were right... Flame boy." Toph smirked, "I was beginning to think you tricked me just so you could get a kiss." She teased, easily untangling from him. "After you." She added, gesturing to the tunnel.

Kai still blushing lead the way out. They walked in silence for a few minutes until Kai spoke again. "So, Toph that kiss did it mean anything?" he asked

Toph smiled, a blush forming across her cheeks, "Well, I would like to think that it did..." She answered quietly, staring straight ahead. What if it hadn't meant anything to him?

Kai smiled "I would too, I've never felt so at peace with everything as I did during that kiss." he said blushing slightly too as he slowed so he was walking beside her.

Toph's smile widened, knowing he wasn't lying but asking anyways, "You mean it?", an almost whisper as she hesitantly reached out to take his hand.

"Yeah, I mean it." he said smiling as she took his hand. "So, does this mean we're a couple?" he asked as light from out side got bigger and brighter.

Toph nodded, "I'd say so... But we'll have a lot to explain." She added warningly.

"Explain to who?" he asked not really caring what others thought he was happy.

"The others, remember them?" She teased with a laugh. "Aang, Katara, and Sokka? They're bound to be curious."

"Oh yeah those guys. By the way, are we going to have to go find them?" he asked as they emerged into bright warm sunlight.

Toph pursed her lips in thought, "Not sure." She muttered, searching the area through her feet. After a moment her eyes widened and she quickly dragged Kai away from the rocks, just before something burst out of the cave and into the sunlight.

"Giant badger moles?" Kai asked shocked as Appa fallowed them out and Katara and Sokka slid off them as Aang climbed off.

"You guys found those?" Kai asked still stunned

Katara nodded, "Technically, they found us... Sokka had food in his pocket." She explained, glancing at her brother.

"Hey, don't make fun of me my appetite technically saved us." Sokka said defiantly.

"So.." Aang said interrupting Sokka "How did you two get out?" he asked

Toph flushed, "Well, you see, we, uh... Kai?" She managed to get out, looking at him pleadingly.

"I, well we, ummm..." Kai said equally flushed

After a moment or two, Katara started to giggle, "Oh, I see." She said with a smirk.

Sokka and Aang frowned in unison, "What do you see?" Sokka asked, and Aang nodded in agreement.

"I see, what happened." she smirked remembering the statues and the inscription they had seen.

"Well, will you tell us cause we're lost." Aang said motioning to himself and Sokka.

Katara rolled her eyes, "You two are so dense sometimes, they kissed! And from the looks of it, I'd say they're officially a couple now, too." She explained as if it were all obvious.

The guys jaws dropped, glancing between Toph and Kai in disbelief. "I don't believe it" Sokka said finally, stubborn as ever.

Toph took a deep breath to steady herself, "It's true." She said, smiling sheepishly.

"It is true." Kai said standing beside her and wrapping an arm around her waist. Most people would have been knocked away for that.

However, Toph smiled and leaned into Kai's side.

"I never thought I would see Toph acting so girly." Sokka said. Kai felt Toph stiffen slightly and stepped away knowing what was coming.

A rock came out of the ground, hitting him square in the chest as he was propelled backwards, "What was that about me being girly?" She asked smugly, smirking at him.

"I take it back. Kai you must be crazy though to date Toph." he said.

"Hey, I like her." Kai said

Toph chuckled, taking Kai's hand again, "You're just jealous, Sokka." She teased, pulling Kai along as she walked over to Appa. "And we should probably get going if we're ever going to get to Ba Sing Se."

"I thought we were going to stop at Omashu first according the map it should just over that hill."Kai said peering over the hill he paled.

"Uh oh" he gasped fire nation banners hung over the walls.

Toph furrowed her eyebrows, "What is it? I'm blind, remember." She demanded irritably, crossing her arms.

Everyone else's eyes widened as they took in the scene before them, but they remained quiet.

"The Fire Nation is here." Kai said

Tophs eyes widened considerably, matching every one else's states, "Oh..." She said quietly, "What do we do now?"

Kai looked along the wall and saw something that did not help.

"Azula's here." he said pointing to a black transport.

Sokka scowled, "Family reunion, anyone?" He muttered, obviously not happy.

Katara blinked, "We can't just leave the city... We have to get in there and help them..."

"She's right, we have to help and besides Bumi is in there." Aang said.

Sokka sighed, "Well, lets get this over with." He said unenthusiasticly.

Toph pursed her lips, "We'll have to walk... Appa is way too noticeable.

"Maybe I should go in first." Kai said

Toph scowled, "It's dangerous." She pointed out, looking up at him.

"Yeah, but remember they think someone is holding me captive."

"True..." She agreed, but didn't look any happier about it.

Sokka seemed to be in full support of this whole plan as he clapped Kai on the back, "You've got this." He assured him with a grin.

"As long as you guys can wait somewhere and be my escape route." Kai said

They all nodded, and Aang pointed to a spot not far from the city that was still hidden from sight, "We'll be over there." He explained, "We can be at the gates in no time, but we'll need some kind of signal."

"Oh believe me I think you'll know when I need help." Kai said as they dropped him off across the bridge from the city.

He looked at Toph. "Don't worry Toph I'll be alright."

Toph just pursed her lips, "You better be, Flame Boy." She threatened, not moving from her spot. Mainly because she couldn't see him when they weren't on solid earth.

Kai nodded and walked into the city.

* * *

Almost as soon as he walked in there was a cry of surprise and slight relief as Kai slid his emotionless mask in place.

The guard chain spread that Kai was there until finally it reached Azula, Mai, and Ty-Lee.

"Princess, we have word that prince Kai is here." said one of the guards.

Azula had stopped her conversation with her two friends as the guards walked in, and smiled lightly at the news, "Bring him to me." She ordered, dismissing him.

The guards left and moment later returned with Kai in front of them. He looked dirty as if he had been in a cave, but otherwise the same.

"Azula, Mai, Ty-Lee." he greeted them

"Kai!" Azula greeted with a smile, "How nice of you to join us! We were just discussing our plan of attack to rescue you." She explained, gesturing to a chair as if to tell him to sit.

"What happened?" She demanded after he had sat, "How could you, my brother, have been bested by a couple of half-baked benders?"

Kai felt irritated she had called Toph that, but kept his calm face and voice.

"I would love to see you take on the Avatar and his friends and come out any better than I did." he said calmly.

Azula smirked slightly, "Please, brother, we all know what would have happened if it were me. Now, I expect to hear a status report on the avatar. Where are they headed? What are there habits? Anything helpful." She ordered as Mai and Ty Lee listened intently.

"Well, first off the Avatar believe it or not is my age bald calls himself Aang. At the moment he has mastered air and water bending, but appears to be working on earth bending and finding a Firebending teacher. Then there's Katara a water bender better then even the Avatar from the southern water tribe and about your age." Kai said.

Azula pursed her lips, something poking at her thoughts, "Interesting... But what would be more interesting is how you escaped." She hinted, not bothering with being subtle as she smirked at him.

"They told the only member of their group who does not bend to watch me while they gathered supplies. He's no Mai or Ty-Lee so it made escape easier." Kai lied easily.

Azula pondered this, "Very well then, did you get any information on where they are going?"

"From what I heard Ba Sing Se. Once there could send a ransom to the Fire nation safely. Even without me they will still head there for safety."

Something sparked in Azula's eyes, "Ba Sing Se? Girls," she began, looking at Mai and Ty Lee, "I think the time as come to try out our new toy." She grinned, and Ty Lee giggled as she clapped excitedly. Mai just looked bored.

"New toy?" Kai asked carefully. Whenever Azula said that it had to be something destructive.

"You see, Kai, a new invention as just been made available to me, one that makes the impossible-possible." She explained, "A drill has been created for the specific purpose of drilling through the wall of Ba Sing Se."

"Wow, that sounds like quite the invention." Kai said calmly though inside he was panicking.

"It's magnificent." Azula grinned, and Ty Lee nodded enthusiastically.

"And after we get through the walls, we get rid of the earth king." She giggled, folding into a handstand out of boredom.

"That sounds like a good plan except the fact that the Avatar and his friends will be there." Kai spoke very calmly

Azula waved his comment away, "Your doubt wounds me. Between the four of us, the avatar and his friends won't stand a chance." She grinned wickedly, almost as if she were imagining their deaths.

Kai spoke very carefully. "Never assume anything it leads to reckless behavior." he said standing to leave the table.

Azula narrowed her eyes, "What's wrong with you, Kai? Normally you'd be much more enthusiastic." She noted, suspicion flaring.

"I am enthusiastic, I'm just saying I've seen what they can do and if you treat them with the attitude you have now then you'll get the four of us killed." he said simply looking her in the eye as he stood where he was.

Azula considered his words, all the while staring back at him unblinkingly, "You underestimate me brother."

"No Azula you over estimate yourself." Kai said simply making to walk away from her.

Azula's eyes blazed and she quickly stood, "Don't walk away from me." She ordered, hands shaking slightly from her contained rage. "One would think you were a traitor with this kind of talk." She said, a warning plain in her voice.

"One can believe whatever they want, it does not make it true." Kai said still walking away from her, though prepared for an attack.

Azula gritted her teeth together, shooting a blue flame at the back of his head in anger.

She was surprised when blue flames met her own in mid air. "Temper temper Azula." Kai said surprised himself that his fire had gone up in intensity. Though he hid it well

Azula's eyes widened a fraction but she quickly hid her shock, "You may be weak enough for the avatar to defeat, but I am stronger than you could ever hope to be." She hissed, shooting more fire at him. The other girls just watched on in shock, not sure what to so with themselves.

Kai ducked and launched a massive wall of blue fire at her. "No! You think your stronger than everyone and in most cases your right, but want me to let you in on a secret Azula? I never really tried in our sparing matches, because I know I'm better than you. I just let you win because you're family." Kai said as he fired the blast.

Azula's anger deepened as she dodged his blasts, "You fool!" She growled, as the energy around her began to cackle dangerously. "You are as hopeless as Zuko!" She added as she began to form lighting in her hands.

Kai just smirked at her and built up his own lightning and fired it off before Azula could fire hers off. She was forced to dodge, but as she jumped right she was met with a blue fireball.

"No I'm not! Like it or not I'm better than you!" he yelled

Azula was actually panting for breath, eyes widened in shock. She sent out a volley of fireballs, glancing at Mai and Ty Lee, "Don't just sit there!" She barked, trying to avoid Kai's attacks.

Ty Lee jumped to her feet, back flipping to where Kai stood as she moved to block his chi.

Kai ducked her hits and volleyed some fireballs at all three girls. "Really Azula all this because you have no temper control?" he asked not even out of breath yet.

Azula growled, barely noting the destroyed room they were standing in. She shot a few fireballs at him, but gasped as one hit her square in the chest and sent her flying into the wall.

Mai threw a barrage of knives at Kai, aimed to pin him to the wall as Ty Lee dodged his blows in an attempt to get closer.

Kai timed it well and jumped so Mai's knives pinned Ty-Lee to the wall. "So, Mai are we going to fight or can I go get some clean clothes on?" he asked

Mai shrugged, "Go ahead." She said, waving him off in a bored sort of way. She wasn't going to end up pinned to a wall.

"Good then." Kai said leaving the room. He went to another room changed into some red and gold Fire Nation clothes packed another set along with some earth nation clothes.

On his way out, he grabbed something for each of his new friends. For Katara another water pouch. Sokka a curved blade. Aang a hat to hide his arrow. Toph a necklace made of black diamonds that she could bend. He packed all this in a bag and left the room.

He was met with Azula again.

"Really sis are we going to do this again?" he asked

Azula's hair and clothing were disheveled as she glared daggers at him, "Traitor." She hissed, "You are no longer worthy to call yourself fire nation." She spat, gesturing to his clothes. "And letting you go without a fight would be dishonorable." As she spoke, she kicked at him, flames flying from her foot.

"Alright." Kai sighed dodging her fire. "I was not even a traitor, but fine." He took a deep breath and exhailed fire sending them all flying as he walked the other way and leapt out the window. In mid air he boosted himself so he was right above Appa and landed in the middle of the saddle.

"Hi guys." he said in a bored yet proud voice.

As Appa flew off, Aang glanced back at him, "How'd it go?" He asked, eyebrow raised.

Toph glanced towards his voice from her spot on the saddle, gripping the sides, "You're not hurt, are you?"

"Oh, no I'm fine a bit tired, but otherwise fine and I've got presents!" he said pulling out everyone's gifts.

Sokka grinned like a kid on Christmas when he was handed the blade, "Sweet!" He exclaimed, slicing with it experimentally.

Toph took the necklace and tentatively tested its bendable property's, grinning when she could change the shape to anything she wanted. "Thanks, Flame Boy." She grinned, using the nickname that had just seemed to stick.

"My pleasure." he said pulling her into a hug. He wanted to kiss her again, but was not sure she would want to do that in front of others.

Toph hugged him back, and Sokka pretended to gag from the other side of them. If Toph had known, she would've punched him.

Aang and Katara also expressed their enthusiasm over their gifts, and Aang immediately donned his. Not that is was necessary, he just liked the hat.

"Oh, and my sister is going to drill through Ba Sing Se's wall."

Toph pulled away like she'd been zapped, "What?" She demanded, hands on her hips as everyone else just gaped at him. "And you didn't think to mention this a bit sooner?" She added in an almost growl.

"Well, no it slipped my mind the upside we'll probably get there first." Kai said cautiously.

Toph frowned, "Anything else we should know about your crazy sister?" She asked, still wondering how they could ever stop a giant drill.

"Well she's mad at me because I finally stopped holding back against her." Kai said

Toph raised an eyebrow incredulously, "You attacked her?" She asked in shock.

"No! She started it!" Kai said

Toph sighed, "Fine, whatever. As long as your safe, I guess." She muttered, controlling herself. It wasn't his fault after all, but now he was in as much danger as they were.

"I'm sorry I spoke my mind for the first time and she did not like it."

Toph nodded, "It's fine." She said with a small smile, "But I wish you hadn't, you're constantly in danger now."

"Well, not exactly see she has no real proof I'm traitor she just threw a temper tantrum. Also she was down when I jumped out the window so really she's just mad at me." he shrugged.

Toph pursed her lips but didn't inquire further. Sokka was still playing his knife when he raised it above his head ceremoniously and grinned, "Next stop: Ba Sing Se!"

* * *

**A/N: Read and Review! See you next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here it is the latest chapter of Magma and to make up for the wait it's a bit longer.  
Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Kai was bored flying around on a bysopn lost it's novelty after a while. The upside was Toph was curled into his side, but even so.

"Sokka, I'm bored." Kai said simply

Katara lifted her head, "I think we all are... Maybe we should stop somewhere, have a chance to relax and do something besides sit around." She offered, pulling out the map.

"Yes, thank you Katara!" Kai said scanning over the map with her.

Aang jumped over, glancing at the map before grinning. "We could stop at the *insert name of spa here that I will research later*,it used to be the greatest place in the earth kingdom." He explained, pointing to its location on the map.

"It's better then just sitting here, and I'm sure Appa would enjoy the break." Kai shrugged.

Katara nodded and smiled, "It's settled then." She nodded, and Aang immediately set Appa on the right course.

Toph groaned, "Lovely. Just what I wanted, a spa trip." She said sarcastically.

"Come on a few hours alone with your boyfriend you'll be fine." Katara smirked at her.

Toph just smiled sweetly, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous that I actually have a boyfriend and you don't." She shot back, fighting the smirk from her face.

"I what..why would I be jealous. I'm not jealous." Katara stammered

Toph grinned, "Sure you aren't, Sugar Queen." She dismissed calmly, turning back to Kai. "wouldn't you say she's jealous?" She asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Well, she certainly acts like it." Kai said with a straight face.

Katara flushed and turned away from them, staring ahead. "I'm not jealous." She muttered, frowning.

Toph just laughed, holding out her hand for a high five from Kai as the spa came into view.

They high fived as they got off.

"Wow this place is huge." Kai said looking around impressed.

Sokka raised an eyebrow, "Don't you think it's a little... Dry? To be a spa?" He asked, looking at Aang.

Aang just looked shocked, "It must have changed in the last 100 years.." He grinned sheepishly.

"Yes, well things can change after a hundred years." Kai shrugged

Nearby day a small little building that everyone seemed to be flocking to, and Aang brightened. "Well one thing stayed the same, they still have smoothies!" He grinned, leading them over.

The others fallowed Aang, but just as they were leaving some men wrapped in black rags approached Appa who growled.

Aang turned to them, "Hey, back off!" He ordered, glaring at the men as he walked towards them.

The men glanced at each other before quickly backing away, jumping on their sailors and sliding away.

Toph frowned, "I didn't even feel them approach." She muttered to herself, hating how blurry the sand made everything. "I can barely sense you guys and I'm standing right next to you."

"It's Alright we'll never be far off." Kai said

Toph nodded, still not placated but refusing to say anything more.

Aang just shook his head at the men before turning and walking back towards the smoothie shop. Inside, the group found a small table towards the corner.

"So Aang, what is a smoothie?" Kai asked from beside Toph

Aang grinned and pointed to the counter where a guy was chopping up various fruits and putting them into a glass. "The fruits are kept freezing cold by an old glacier that sits underneath the building, and nobody really knows how they keep it like that." He said with a shrug.

"That is one of the great mysteries of this place." A brown haired man with glasses from the table beside them

They all glanced over and Sokka narrowed his eyes at the man, "Who're you?" He asked suspiciously.

"I'm a professor from Ba Sing Se university here to investigate some of the rumors about this place." He said enthusiastically.

Sokka blinked, "What do you mean by rumors? What could possibly be that interesting about this place besides glaciers that don't melt?" He asked with honest curiosity.

"Well, the legend says there's an ancient Library somewhere out in that dessert."

"Ancient library? Sounds fascinating." Toph muttered sarcastically, leaning back in her chair.

"Oh it is. Knowledge lost to the world for years." The man said sounding excitable

Sokka perked up at that, "Wait, so you're saying this place has a ton of ancient information hidden within it? Maybe even knowledge concerning, I don't know, the fire nation?" He asked, trying to hide his excitement.

"Well, yes the odds are." The man said smiling as he shrugged

Sokka glanced at everyone before turning back to the man, "You wouldn't know how to get to this library, would you? I mean, we're knowledge's biggest fan!" He grinned, looking around for support.

"Well, no it's supposedly out in the dessert somewhere, but I have no way of scanning the whole dessert." He sighed

Aang smiled, "We can use Appa." He offered, gesturing outside of the shop to wear the bison waited. "he's my sky bison."

"Really! That would be wonderful!" The man said excitably

Aang nodded with a grin, leading everyone outside and quickly leaping onto Appa's back as he took the reins.

"Climb aboard!"

They all did and soon they were gliding above the dessert. "I'm bored...again." Kai said

Toph just smiled, looking out over the landscape even though she couldn't see. "Look! There it is!" She shouted, and everyone rushed over before developing a confused expression.

"And that's what it will sound like when one of you spots it." She said, fighting the smirk as they glared and returned to their previous positions.

"Hey, There's something?" Aang said a few minutes later. It looked like a tower just sticking out of the ground.

Katara and her brother nodded in agreement, "Lets check it out." Sokka decided, and Aang quickly brought Appa down. They approached the tower and felt it. It was stone.

"Hey Toph could you tell us if there is anything to this?" Aang asked.

Toph nodded, "Course I can, Twinkle Toes." She answered, walking over and digging her fingers into the stone wall of the tower.

"Wow, this place is huge. There are tons of different chambers and hallways, and I can't sense anything that could be marked as a threat she added, pulling away.

"But I'm not going down there, I'll just wait here with Fuzzy." She said, gesturing to Aapa who growled in indignation.

"Are you sure?" Kai asked worried as Aang and Sokka threw some rope up for the others to climb. It was not that she could not handle herself it was that she could not really see very well out here that worried him.

"Positive." Toph smiled, gently nudging him towards the others. "I never really got the point of books." She added with grin.

He smiled and nodded boosting himself up using Firebending and landing beside Aang.

"Wow she was right this place is gigantic." Kai said looking around impressed.

"Yes, well I do pride myself on my collection of knowledge." said a voice from behind them as a giant black and white feathered owl swooped out from the shadows

Everyone turned and gaped at the owl, and Aang gave them a look as if to say, 'I've got this', "Hello, Mr. Spirit. My name is Aang and I'm the current Avatar." He said, grinning up at the giant owl.

"Good for you. Now, if you wish to browse my collection you must first give some knowledge yourself." He said looking expectantly at them all.

Aang was slightly miffed at the owls dismissal as he made his way back to the group, and Katara quickly pulled out her waterbending scroll. "I have this." Katara said cheerfully, holding it out for the spirit.

"Very nice, a very rare scroll on almost perfect condition." The owl said in approval, taking the scroll.

"I have this." The professor said pulling out a large book.

"A first addition very nice." The owl said turning to Aang

Aang thought for a moment before grinning, reaching into his shirt for a wanted poster of him as he held it out for the owl.

"That'll do, I suppose..." The owl said reluctantly, taking the poster from him.

Sokka tied a complex knot and presented it to the owl.

"I suppose that's enough." He said swiping the knot from him.

Kai who was hoping he had not been noticed stood behind Katara.

The owl looked at Kai expectantly, "And you?" He asked, staring him down as he waited.

Kai thought for a moment.

"Do you have a brush and some ink?" He asked politely

The owl raised an eyebrow slightly before a little fox trotted in, paint, brushes, and paper clamped in its mouth as it quickly gave them to Kai before disappearing once again.

Kai sat down and went to work. Fifteen minutes later he smiled satisfied.

"Here you go a perfect map of the Fire Nation as it is now. Complete with a key that shows important landmarks." He said.

The others were all stunned it looked professionally made.

The owl nodded, "Very nice, enjoy the library. I just have one rule, my knowledge is not to be used for selfish means. For example, gaining information that could best another nation in war would be considered an insult, and I will quickly end if I find out this is your drive." He explained calmly before disappearing.

"So giant talking animals...does that happen to you guys often?" Kai asked oblivious to the looks of shock he was still getting.

Aang just gave a small nod, "Every once in a while... Since when could you paint?" He asked, voicing the question everyone else had

"Oh that I've always been able to paint it's a useful hobbie sometimes." Kai shrugged.

Aang just shook his head, deciding to leave it at that.

Sokka glanced around the place, pursing his lips in thought, lets split up." He decided. "There are 4 directions and 4 of us, so it should be easy. We all know what we came here for."

"Yeah, no the scary owl made it pretty clear we were not to use this for war so I'm going to see if there are some firebending scrolls never hurts to learn more." Kai said leaving the group and going in one direction. He did notice he was being fallowed by a large fox large enough to ride in fact.

Sokka watched after him in bewilderment, "For a firebender, he sure is a goody two shoes." He said as Aang and Katara agreed, the three of them splitting up to head in opposite directions.

"I heard that!" Kai yelled back. Then he noticed the giant fox.

"Oh, well that's new do you talk too?" He asked.

* * *

Sokka walked through the hallway, scanning the rows of books and scrolls with a little interest as he took various things and stuffed them in his bag. Rounding a corner, he came face to face with a destroyed section that used to house information on the fire nation.

He growled in frustration, "How is the fire nation always one step ahead of us?! We think we have something and it turns out that they've already got it." He raged, collapsing onto his knees. That's when the little fox creature appeared, seeming to beckon to Sokka as it led him down a series of halls.

* * *

Kai meanwhile was starring down a giant fox.

"Yes, little one I do talk in fact I am for lack of a better word your reward." She said in a peaceful soothing voice.

The fox led Sokka to a little glass case, a single slip of burned paper contained inside. Sokka quickly read the paper, "The darkest day in fire nation history... With a date right there. What could that mean?" He wondered aloud, noticing the fox had already left.

Glancing around, Sokka quickly slid the paper out, stuffing it in his pocket as he hurriedly searched for the others.

"Reward? What do you mean reward?" Kai asked.

"Well for creating something in here and giving it to this place. The owl felt you deserved a reward. So I'm your new pet."

* * *

After a little searching, Sokka finally found Aang and Katara slumped over a few books. "Guys! Look what I found!" He said excitedly, whispering so he would be over heard as he took out the paper and showed it to them.

"What do you think it means?" Katara asked, looking slightly confused.

"Not sure... But I think those weird little fox things could help." He said; and as if on cue, one of them appeared, once again seeming to ask them to follow..

* * *

"So, let me get this straight your my pet like you'll leave here when I do?" Kai asked.

The fox nodded. "Yes, and I can run at speeds faster than any human I carry up to three people, but no more." She said.

"Nice, can you take me to my friends?" He asked climbing onto her back. She nodded and took off.

Just as they were about to follow the fox, and even bigger fox rounded the corner, with none other than Kai sitting on its back. Katara blinked in surprise, "What is that thing?!" She questioned, leaning away from it.

"It's a giant talking fox and my new pet." Kai said excitedly.

"Nice to meet you all." The fox said

Momo, who had been sitting on Aangs shoulder, screeched in surprise, flying a little ways away from them.

"N-Nice to meet you too." Katara stammered, wide eyed.

Aang composed himself enough to bow, and Sokka just shook his head in irritation. "Everytime you run off, something happens. First your fire changed color, then you got a girlfriend, and then you got a pet fox... You are seriously strange." He said before turning back to the smaller fox,

"Lead the way." He said, and the fox immediately took off, leaving them to follow.

"I know I have the greatest luck ever!" Kai said proudly.

"So what are we looking for?" he asked while trying to think of a name for his fox.

"What happened on this date." Sokka answered simply, handing over the sheet of paper as he carefully followed the small fox.

Kai looked at it and smiled.

"I know what happened on this day it's Fire Nation history lesson 3 or 4. Anyway it's the day of the solar eclipse." He said

Sokka blinked at him before slapping the palm of his hand to his forehead, "Oh, right. Thank goodness you paid attention in class." He muttered. "Do you history books mention anything about when the next one will be? Things always happen in cycles, so you can't say there won't be another one."

"Yeah, we did a chart on it. The next one is in about four and a half months." Kai said after thinking carefully.

"So, do you guys have any idea what I should name my fox?" Kai asked.

Sokka frowned, purposely ignoring his question,, "So far this has all been one wasted trip." He growled, obviously displeased.

"Well, we may as well leave then, and then we can tell the king all about the eclipse when we get to Ba Sing Se. The fire nation will be powerless." He said while gesturing for the others to follow him back to the exit.

Kai smirked as his fox just jumped gracefully through the window and landed by Toph. Then his smirked vanished as he noticed Sand benders trying to steal Appa and Toph being unable to see very well here could not fight them off as well as usual.

He shot a blue fireball and got the mens attention.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" He asked coldly sliding off his fox

Toph blinked, smiling gratefully at Kai before turning back to the men who were now starting to retreat. Sending one last barrage of sand at them, Toph sighed as they retreated, feeling completely useless.

* * *

Just as the others were about to climb the rope, the spirit appeared, not looking very happy. "You disobeyed my commands and tried to use this knowledge for your own selfish gain. I'm afraid I can't let you go."as he spoke, the library began to shake and sand started to pour from everywhere. Extending his neck, the owl lunged for the three friends, narrowly missing Sokka.

Outside Kai noticed. "Toph! the library is sinking!" He gasped.

Toph whipped around, eyes widening, "The library's sinking?!" She shrieked, running towards the sinking tower as she pressed her fists into the rock, trying to keep it up while her feet slid. She cursed silently and desperately tried to get a grip in the shifting sand.

Inside, the others were struggling to stay alive as the owl chased them, all of them narrowly missing his beak and talons. "Get to the rope, I'll distract him!" Aang ordered, tossing a book at the owls head to get his attention.

The owl glared at him and pelted towards him. Aang dodged as the others got to the rope. Kai landed on the window frame.

"What did you guys do?" He asked

Sokka just shook his head, "He found out what we were trying to do!" He explained simply as Katara climbed above, each of them frantically making there way up the rope.

Toph continued to struggle with the building, it was heavy, and nothing she did seemed to make much of a difference in the sand. Biting her lip as sweat formed on her forehead, she let go of the building only to lock her fists into it once more, preventing it from sliding into the sand completely.

"Can't hold for much longer!" She managed, eyes shut tight from the exertion.

"Remember when I said disobeying the scary looking talking owl was a bad idea?" He asked as Aang jumped up onto the ledge and Sokka clambered out with him.

"Toph, let it go!" Sokka called out as he Aang and Kai landed in a pile.

As she let go of the building she was flung back from the sheer force of it collapsing into the sand, and she layed there stunned for a moment before sitting up, shaking her head to clear it.

"Well that was dramatic." Kai said pushing the others off him as his new fox came over.

"I think I'll call you Chie it means wise it fits. Oh, and Aang Appa almost got stolen." Kai said

Aang's eyes widened in surprise, having just gone over to greet his friend. "What?" He asked, glancing between Kai and Toph.

Toph stood, dusting herself off, "A couple of sandbenders showed up... If Kai hadn't come when did, they would have taken him... I wasn't able to fight them." She said nervously, biting her lip as she stared unseeing my at the ground.

"I tried, though, I really did."

"I know you did Toph don't be sad it's this sand that's throwing you off." Aang said smiling.

"And Appa is safe so, it's alright." Kai said pulling her into a hug.

Toph just shrugged, hating how useless she had become. "The sooner we get to solid land, the better." She muttered.

Katara looked around, "Where's the professor?" She asked, eyes going wide.

"He did not want to leave. Said there was so much to learn." Aang said sadly.

Chie walked over to Kai and an unsuspecting Toph. "So, this little one is masters mate?" she asked.

Toph felt herself blush furiously as the other snickered behind their hands, and she quickly went to correct Chie.

"Girlfriend... I'm his girlfriend, yes." She answered, giving a tiny smile. "And you must be his new pet." She added, able to tell it wasn't human despite the sand issue.

"Yes, I am Chie masters girlfriend as she calls herself is very wise for one who cannot see." Chie smiled at them.

Toph smiled at Chie, "Thanks." She said, feeling slightly better.

With a quick order from Sokka, everyone quickly piled onto Appa, quickly flying away from the crater that was the only thing left to remind them of the magnificent library that once stood there.

Below them Kai was riding Chrie who was keeping pace with Appa on the ground.

"Wow that fox is really fast." Aang said looking down.

Toph hmphed, arms crossed as she frowned, "Yeah, and he left me up here to be bored alone." She muttered.

"Not to mention he knows how much I dislike heights." She added after a moment.

Katara laughed, "You'll get over it, I'm sure." She grinned, obviously amused.

"Aang!" Kai shouted up.

"What!?"

"Send Toph down please." Kai shouted

"And how the heck am I supposed to get down there? Fly?!" She grumbled.

Aang nodded in agreement, "How's she supposed to get down there?" He called back.

"Push her down We'll catch her!" Kai said

"Push me?" Toph squeaked, "He's gone crazy...!" She said, peering over to the edge of Appa's saddle while she gripped it for dear life.

"Then jump." Aang answered easily, shrugging.

"I... Well... Seeing as you guys probably won't leave me alone until I do this..." She took a deep breath, prepared to bend the sand beneath her if she did hit the ground. Throwing her leg over the side of the saddle, she allowed herself to forget what she was doing before she fell, terrified beyond words at the helplessness of it all.

Before she could hit the ground she was caught by a pair of arms around her waist.

"See, I told you that you'd be fine." Kai said as the three of them landed safely.

Toph's heart was still beating a million miles as she struggled to control it, breathing coming in shallow gasps. "I hate you." She managed, glaring at him. It was only slightly playful.

"Hey I could have let you hit the ground." He said as Chie keep running and he kept her in a bridal style.

Toph gave him a glare, sitting in silence while she struggled not to punch him. He was infuriating, but at the same time endearing. "How close do you think we are to Ba Sing Se?" She finally asked, not pleased with the thought of more walls.

"At this rate a few days. Why you seem less excited than the rest of us." Kai said

Toph sighed, "My whole life I've grown up with walls around me, the strict rules of society ruling me... Now that I'm free, I'm not eager to return to that." She shrugged. "Bei Fong is a pretty well known name." She added wryly.

"So, you think your parents are going to find you?" He asked

"Maybe... I'm just worried about being thought of as the 'helpless little blind girl' again." She shrugged again.

"But, whatever, it doesn't matter." She shook her head as if trying to rid herself of her thoughts. "You guys are all excited, so that's all the matters."

"No your happiness matters to me." Kai said

Toph gave him a smile, "I'm happy, honestly."

"Are you sure?" He asked

Toph nodded, keeping silent. Soon they would be at Ba Sing Se protecting innocent city dwellers from the evil Azula... That she could handle.

Azula was angry she had been ever since Kai had beaten her. That she hated it.

"How could he beat all of us!?" She asked outloud to Mai and Ty-Lee

Ty Lee tilted her head at Azula as she straightened from her handstand, "Maybe he just got lucky." She offered helpfully, knowing its what Azula wanted to hear.

"Or maybe we underestimated him." Mai said from where she sat, same bored tone ever present.

"I may have underestimated him. I must say as irritating as it is part of me is proud to bad he's traitor." Azula said

Mai looked at her. "Technically you attacked first he was just acting in self defense." She said

"And I only attacked him because he was a traitor. Do you question my judgment?" Azula demanded, eyes narrowing at Mai by a mere fraction.

Ty Lee watched on with wide eyes, quite obviously worried that her friends would get into a fight and hurt each other.

"In this one instance yes. He did nothing, but give his opinion." Mai said simply

"Then maybe you would like to join him, Mai. You seem awfully eager to share your opinions when the obviously don't mean a thing to anyone here." She answers nonchalantly, glancing at the girl from the corner of her eye.

"I'm just saying Azula he'd done nothing wrong at this point in time, but you might be pushing him towards the other side."

Ty-Lee looked out the drill window to avoid conflict and saw something interesting. "Um...girls." She tried, but they kept arguing totally ignoring her.

Azula rolled her eyes, "Please, Mai, any loyal child of the fire lord would never be tempted to help the avatar, so it shows how disloyalty he is to the fire nation if all it takes to sway him are a few 'false' accusations."

"I don't think it was just those I think it's been building for a while I mean your father only ever cared about you and Zuko. Kai was never important to well any of you." Mai said simply.

Ty -Lee tried again and was again ignored.

Azula shrugged, "He shouldn't have been so sensitive about it. It would have toughened him up if he had just gotten over it."

"So, you honestly don't care about your own little brother?" Mai asked.

Ty-Lee now just choose to wait for them to be done as they were not listening to her.

"Caring is for weaklings. Last time I checked, you didn't care about your own brother. So I don't see why your making a big deal out of this." Azula responded, lips pursed.

"Fine, I'm just saying Kai could be a great allie or a very dangerous enemy and you should think of that." Mai said shrugging.

"Um girls." Ty-lee said

Azula turned to Ty Lee, "What is it?" She snapped.

"Your brother is sitting in the window." She said pointing to a smiling Kai

Azula gaped, caught of guard for only a moment before she became enraged and quickly marched up to the window, glaring at Kai. "Open the door." She ordered, and a soldier immediately obeyed as a hole in the ceiling opened.

Before Azula could move Kai slid in through the hole.

"Aw, you let me thanks. That was much easier than breaking the window." Kai said smirking

Azula rolled her eyes, "What are you doing here Kai?" She demanded, eyes narrowing.

"Are you still mad Azula? Anyway can't a guy drop in and visit his only sister?" Kai asked

Azula merely raised an eyebrow, "We both know that's not why you're here."

"Fair enough. I did want to check in on you all though, seeing as I hear through the grape vine I'm supposedly traitor."

Azula scoffed, "And you say you aren't?"

"I say you have no proof that I am your just throwing a world class tantrum."

Azula hmphed, ""But you haven't exactly denied it." she challenged with a small smirk.

"Fair enough, but I don't really need to as you have no proof. Anyway I actually came to deliver a warning." Kai said shrugging

Azula raised an eyebrow, "Well then, spit it out."

"The Avatar and his friends are flying above you and about to attack." Kai said in an almost bored tone.

Azula's eyes widened only a fraction, "Mai! Ty Lee!" She barked, storming over to the still open hatch. "Come with me. And you may now prove your loyalty, Kai. Fight with me, and your innocent. Against me and, well, it's better if you fight with me." She said, offhandedly as she climbed to through the hatch.

Kai jumped thought the hatch. They had a plan for this he just had to pick his spots very carefully. Above them Appa flew low and Aand and Katara jumped off landing on the drill. Toph landing beside the drill.

"So, who are you three?" Katara asked

Azula smirked, "You don't see the resemblance?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, I would understand if you had only Zuzu to go by, but considering Kai's been with you for a while... I figured you could guess. I guess I gave you too much credit."

"Oh, so this is the sister he spoke so highly of when we had him captured." Katara said in a convincing voice.

Azula merely smirked, "He spoke highly of me? Why do I find that so hard to believe?" she asked, beginning a slow walk around Katara as if circling her prey.

"I really don't care what you believe. We're just here to break your new toy." Katara said smirking

Azula laughed, "I'd like to see you try."

Aang surprisingly spoke. "We don't try, we succeed." He said raising his staff ans blasting Azula back with a gust of wind.

Azula was flung back but she easily regained her footing. Smiling cruelly she rushed forward, sending a stream of fire from her foot as she kicked at him.

Aang spun his staff quickly in front of him. Kai sent a stream of fire towards Katara

Azula glanced over at Kai before turning back to the fight, narrowing her eyes slightly as she punched and jabbed, sending sparks of flame with each.

Katara gasped as the fire came towards her but she quickly used water to block it, a jet of steam erupting when the two met. She then retaliated, whipping the water at Kai.

Kai flipped forward landing on his hands and shooting two balls of fire towards Katara from his feet.

Aang quickly windmilled his staff, slowly backing up as she got closer.

Katara barely managed to dodge the blow, and she prepared to send a barrage of water at him. Rocks began to hit the machine from above, with an occasional few coming from below as Toph tried to stop the drill.

Kai sent a fire whip at Katara, ducked and knocked him off the drill with a blast of water.

After he was down, Katara turned her attention to where Aang was fighting against Azula's ferocious attacks. Katara quickly sent a slice of water towards the princess, just as Aang punched a rock in her direction.

Toph had spikes of rocks protruding from the ground in an attempt to slow down the giant machine, but it seemed to have very little affect on the metal. She sent up another column of rock, denting the metal where it hit.

Kai hit the ground near her.

"Ouch, Katara throws one heck of a water whip." He said

Toph rolled her eyes, blowing a strand of hair from her face, "Would you care to help, or would you rather just sit their and talk all day?" she retorted through gritted teeth, eyes shut tight as she concentrated.

Azula managed to barely avoid the water, but the rock hit her square in the chest, sending her back as she almost toppled over the side. She gritted her teeth before sprinting forward once more, sending a round of well aimed attacks their way.

Katara ducked it and sent water back at Azula.

Doing a split as the water went over her head, Azula spun and her hands as fire shot at their feet.

Aang and Katara jumped over the flame and Aang blew her back with a gust of air.

Once again, Azula was hit and she was easily sent over the edge of the drill, hitting the ground with a small thud.

"They knocked you down too I see." Kai said casually as she landed beside him.

Azula resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "Well, that isn't my fault, now is it." she growled, seeing Toph standing underneath the drill not far off. "At least we can pick one of them off while we're down here."

"I don't think so. We could fight her, but we both they can do more damage from above so the smart thing to do is get back up there."

Azula considered this before agreeing, rather reluctantly, to follow his idea. "Then lets go."

They both used Fire to propel themselves up, but while Azula landed on the roof. Kai went through the open door and landed in the control room. It was obvious that Katara had been here water was everywhere.

Azula soon joined him, not looking pleased. "They're together." She stated, heading down a hall.

Aang and Katara were currently working on slicing through the metal supports, attempting to weaken the machine.

"Ah ha there they are!" Azula called out running towards them and shooting fire from he hands

Stopping what they had been doing, Aang quickly avoided the blasts of fire. Katara sent a slice of water in Azula's direction, while Aang sent a blast of air at Kai.

Kai spun out of the way and shot a fireball at...Azula

Azula only barely managed to block the fireball, eyes wide in disbelief. The three of them greatly outnumbered her, and Mai and Ty Lee were too busy fighting Toph down below to be of any help. Narrowing her eyes, she shot a quick succession of fireballs at each of them, punching with all of her new anger.

Kai dodged all of his and shot a massive one at Azula that forced her to dodge and fall off the beam they were on and hit the ground below.

"Now I think I qualify as a traitor." Kai shrugged.

Toph had been forced to retreat inside a dome of rock, still delivering blows from the inside which weren't do much good when Ty Lee and Mai kept evading them.

Azula quickly got up from the ground, furious now as she narrowed her gaze on the dome of rock as she began to assault it with fire. The temperature inside the dome began to rise immensely, and Toph grimaced.

"Aang, Katara you two go help Toph and Sokka I've got the rest of this." Kai said

Sokka hadn't been too much help in the fight, seeing as he was currently chi blocked as he laid on the ground. Toph could feel Katara and Aang as they jumped down, and she smiled to herself. Dropping the dome she instantly began to send more attacks towards the two girls.

Katara began using the water on the ground to attack the three girls.

Aang helped out with a few well aimed blasts of air, knocking knives and fire off target while keeping Ty Lee at bay. Toph finally managed to trap Mai and Ty Lee, but Azula was still fighting strong, staying off of the ground as much as she possibly could.

Then she noticed her men jumping out of the drill screaming.

"Damn it! Prince Kai over heated the machine it's going to blow!" One of them said

Toph grinned, running from the machine as she and Katara both grabbed Sokka and began to drag him away. Aang glided above them, watching their backs.

Azula cursed, freeing Mai and Ty Lee before heading away from the drill as well. As much as she wanted to get rid of Kai, surviving was more important.

Kai shot himself out of one of the windows and landed just as the machine exploded.

"That, was so much fun!"

The others were all waiting for him, and Toph rolled her eyes. "Maybe for you, I was stuck trying to stop the machine most of the time. I mean really, would it have killed you guys to share the fighting a little more?"

"I knocked my sister down what more do you want?" Kai asked.

"Yeah, I said share the fighting, not allow me to fight all of them off." She shot back, referring to when she'd been forced to fight off the three girls alone.

"Oh, right sorry can I make it up to you somehow?" Kai asked

Toph shrugged, "Probably not." she responded easily, smiling slightly as she walked towards Appa.

Kai fallowed her over and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "Are you sure?" He asked

"Yep." She said with a grin, easily untangling herself from his arms as she continued walking.

"Ha! Blown off by his girlfriend." Sokka said laughing

Katara couldn't help but chuckle and Aang grinned as he spoke to Kai, "Tough break." He said with a laugh.

"Oh well it could be worse. I could be Sokka." Kai said

Sokka pouted slightly, crossing his arms, "Whatever." He grumbled while the others laughed.

"Are we heading into Ba Sing Se or not?" Toph called over to them, already settling onto the bison.

"Yeah lets get going." Kai said from on top of Chire

Everyone boarded Appa, eager to get going and check out the city. It don't take too long to fly over the walls, and it was no time at all before they neared the inner city and saw a vast city below them.

"This is going to be fun!" Kai said

* * *

**A/N: Good chpter huh? Anyway we hope you liked it. Leave a review and we'll see you next chapter!**


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